Mega Thread MLB season 2025

[Dixie Flatline]

The Atlanta Braves have acquired RHP Rafael Montero from the Houston Astros. The Astros announced that they have traded Montero and an undisclosed amount of cash to the Braves in exchange for a player to be named later. The Astros filled Montero's spot on the active roster by recalling LHP Bennett Sousa. The Braves are yet to announce any corresponding moves and they had an opening on their 40-man roster after waiving catcher Chadwick Tromp. An active roster transaction does not need to be made until Montero reports.

Montero signed a three year contract with the Astros two seasons ago and is playing on a $11.5 million salary for 2025. It is unlikely that the Braves are paying much towards Montero, who was signed to his contract by Astros owner Jim Crane in between the firing of former general manager James Click and the hiring of new GM Dana Brown. Montero put up a 5.08 ERA in 67 1/3 innings in 2023, and then a 4.70 ERA in 2024. The Astros designated him for assignment around the trade deadline last year, but Montero accepted an assignment to Triple-A after clearing waivers. He pitched 16 1/3 innings in the minors to finish the season and was not called up again to the majors. The Astros brought him back to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, and he allowed five earned runs with 10 strikeouts across 8 2/3 innings in Spring Training to earn his way back on to the major league roster. He has pitched on three occasions in the majors, with four innings of two runs with five strikeouts.

 

[RPCB]

White Sox lost in the most White Sox way imaginable

 

[RPCB]

Next 2 weeks are fun: 3 game series against the Dodgers, 3 against Padres, 3 against D’Backs, 2 games against Dodgers, 3 against Phillies. 6-8 or 7-7 would be a nice result.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The San Diego Padres announced that they have traded LHP reliever Tom Cosgrove to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations. The Cubs have designated RHP Caleb Kilian for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot. The Padres had designated Cosgrove for assignment over the weekend.

The Padres had drafted Cosgrove in 2017 and promoted him to the 40-man roster during the 2022-2023 offseason. He made his MLB debut for San Diego in April 2023 and put up a 1.75 ERA in 51 1/3 innings. He didn't miss many bats, but he also specialised in inducing soft contact and pitched well against both left and right-handed batters.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Boston Red Sox is in agreement with former All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal on a minor league contract. He was a free agent during Spring Training so will presumably report to the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate to spend time getting game ready, but could be an option for the Red Sox in May.

The Red Sox have a need for catching depth as starting catcher Connor Wong broke a finger on a catcher interference play, putting him on the 10-day IL. The Red Sox traded away their top catching prospect Kyle Teel to the White Sox as part of the package to land LHP Garrett Crochet. With Wong on the IL, Carlos Narvaez has stepped in to play catcher, but only has 14 games of experience. He's being backed up by Blake Sabol, but Sabol is more of a utility player who can play catcher in a pinch and has suspect defensive skills at the spot. The Red Sox also have former White Sox catcher Seby Zavala at Triple-A on a non-roster minor league deal, but he doesn't hit and is off to a bad start with the bat in Triple-A.

Grandal has been in the majors since 2012, and is on the downward slope of his career, although he did play 72 games with the Pirates in 2024 for a .228/.304/.400 slashline in 243 plate appearances (good enough for a 95 wRC+, suggesting he was 5% below average). Grandal was ranked eighth by FanGraphs and Statcast in framing and accumulated a 2.0 fWAR, despite the limited number of games played.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The White Sox acquired infield prospect Chase Meidroth from the Red Sox as part of the return for Garrett Crochet, and it appears that Meidroth is in line to make his MLB debut against the Red Sox this weekend, according to reports. Meidroth is not yet on the White Sox 40-man roster so they will need to make a roster move in order to get him on the 40-man roster to allow his promotion to the majors.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

Veteran reliever Adam Ottavino rejected an assignment to Triple-A from the Yankees and elected minor league free agency after being designated for assignment for the second time in a week on Tuesday. Ottavino made it clear in a media appearance that at 39 years old and with 13 years of major league experience under his belt, he is not keen on a minor league contract, but would be prepared to sign a major league contract with a 45-day advance consent provision that would permit the team to cut him and now owe him the remainder of his contracted salary, provided that the cut comes within the first 45 days of signing the deal.

Ottavino signed twice with the Yankees recently and has been cut twice. He was first signed by the Yankees to temporarily fill the bullpen vacancy left by RHP Devin Williams being put on the paternity list. That lasted just three days and when Williams was activated off that list, Ottavino was designated for assignment to make room.

Ottavino has spent the majority of the past several years playing with either the Mets or Yankees, putting up a 4.34 ERA in 56 innings with the Mets in 2024, and zero runs in 1 2/3 innings for the Yankees in his return to the Bronx, although he also gave up four walks against three strikeouts.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

The Toronto Blue Jays recently came to terms with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension. Their attention now turns to shortstop Bo Bichette, who is facing free agency at the end of the season. GM Ross Atkins said to reporters that the Blue Jays are hopeful of signing Bichette to a long-term deal as well. Bichette has previously indicated that he would prefer to stay in Toronto long-term, noting in 2024 that his "ultimate goal" was to "play with Vladdy forever, to win a championship with him and to do that with this organisation".

Bichette is a two-time All-Star player with has accumulated some MVP votes in the past, but his 2024 season was poor and then he finished the IL thanks to repeated injuries to his calf muscle. Bichette enjoyed a strong start to pre-season, hitting .373/.411/.667 in 56 plate appearances and has carried that form across to the regular season, hitting .291/.344/.364 so far on the season, albeit without any homeruns.

The Blue Jays are likely to bid farewell to Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Chad Green at the end of the season, and they appear to have $186 million committed in 2026 salary, a reduction of about $64.5 million on their 2025 Opening Day salary commitments. That does not include arbitration raises, but only OF/C Daulton Varsho is in line to receive a significant pay bump via arbitration.

 

[RPCB]

Cubs improve to a 1-3 record vs the Dodgers with a +7 RD lol.

 

[revo333]

Early days but with 2 stacked divisions some very good teams won't be making the playoffs.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Jatz]

Absolutely love that haha.

 

[Dixie Flatline]

 

[Big Unit 30]

Next 2 weeks are fun: 3 game series against the Dodgers, 3 against Padres, 3 against D’Backs, 2 games against Dodgers, 3 against Phillies. 6-8 or 7-7 would be a nice result.

We’re playing some great ball!
Just hope the bullpen and loss of Steele for the season doesn’t derail us.

 

[RPCB]

We’re playing some great ball!
Just hope the bullpen and loss of Steele for the season doesn’t derail us.

Wild to think that in one extra game than the Dodgers have played, we have scored 42 extra runs than them. We lead baseball in runs scored, having scored 21 more runs than the next best Yankees (albeit in 3 more games than them). The offense has been great. Jed needs to go out there now and find a TOR and I would love another capable bullpen arm.

 

[revo333]

Dodgers Muncy has been poor for a while now and stating to make errors in the field.

Wouldn't surprise me if he finishes the season on another team.

 

[RPCB]

I read this post online, “Sutcliffe's MLB Announcer Statcast page has him in the 99% of words used, while being in the bottom 5% for relevant words used. It's astounding. ”

Rick Sutcliffe is a backup Chicago Cubs announcer. So when Jim Deshaies isn’t available (like this series in San Diego), Sutcliffe is one of the backups to be in the broadcast booth. Rick literally tells these stories where he pretty much uses 125 words for something that he could have said in 15 words. It’s astonishing stuff really.

 

[RPCB]

Baseball is such a dumb sport sometimes.

Today’s Cubs have said “hold my beer”.

Started the 8th inning with a 7-1 lead. Now batting in the bottom of the 8th trailing 11-7.

 

[RPCB]

End of the 8th, Cubs lead 13-11.

Baseball is a ****ing dumb sport sometimes, lol.

Edit: And that’s how it finishes. When we came into bat at the bottom of the 7th inning, we were leading 2-1. Wildest late innings finish to a baseball game that I have ever watched. 21 runs scored over 1.5 innings.

 

[RPCB]

I haven’t had as good a time this month watching the Cubs as I have in a long time. 6-1 win this morning, which lowered our runs per game average lol.

 

[Big Unit 30]

Yep it’s fun being a Cubs fan again…. If we even had an average bullpen I’d be confident even.
Steele out for the season will also likely have consequences for us eventually

 

[RPCB]

Supposed to start at 4:20AM this morning. Weather delay until 5AM. Play commences for 10 minutes before the tarp comes back on.

 

[RPCB]

Tim Tawa is a backup catcher name, it's unnatural that he is a middle infielder.

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Still getting my head around ESPN giving baseball the flick from next year. The US’s major sports broadcaster not showing MLB!!

They’ve gone from showing 3 games a week live, down to one and then Zero from next year. Anyone know why ESPN opted out?

This hopefully shouldn’t affect our ESPN on Foxtel/Kayo as we get a lot of non ESPN televised games regardless.

 

[RPCB]

Big Unit 30

Craig Counsell: Jed, I am taking the day off and I want a new reliever.”

Jed Hoyer: OKAY!